Evening Harriers
What a weekend it was.
Firstly, a huge thanks to everyone involved in organising the event, particularly Ed Steele, Michael Youlton and the rest of the sub-committee team as well as all the marshals who did a stellar job. As a first timer, I was truly stunned by the scale and organisation of the event.
The morning threatened rain but as we walked onto the hallowed turf of St John’s Road, the running Gods looked down on us. As the race began, one may easily have been lulled into a false sense of security with a pleasant descent down Penshurst Road. Alas, what goes down must go up and the dreaded Spring Hill appeared. Once the worst passed, the rest of the course was challenging but manageable compared to what had come before, the provision of jellybeans being particularly appreciated. The final stretch was a concert of cheers and claps which gave serious Chariots of Fire vibes.
Well done to all 72 Harriers who ran the event. A top three finish (among the Harriers) for Dillon Hobbs, Mark Mellor and Alex Jeffries – all I can say is well done (and how the hell?!).
While I’m sure there were many battles between Harriers during the race, the contest between Jack Summers and Amelie Jones was particularly brutal and ended with a dramatic face-off at the finish line!
A further shoutout to the pacers. Alex Reid made the 1:30 pace look like a walk in the park while Martin Sands’ 2:00 finish, with beer in hand, can only be described as legendary. This theme clearly continued as one saw multiple Harriers staggering out of St John’s Yard and other local watering holes after a few ‘recovery’ drinks. I’m sure festivities continued later on at The George.
A joyous occasion, and long may it continue! Good luck to all those competing in further KGP races.
Kind regards
Tom Chandler